I have suffered from acne since I was 12 years old. It was a horrendous experience for me because it was at that age that I probably felt most insecure about myself. Since then I have tried numerous treatments for my acne that never really worked. It was only in the past year where I finally found the right skincare regimen for my oily, acne-prone skin.
I don't want you guys to think that my skin is like porcelain and I'm acne free. I'm not. One thing that I have learned to accept about my skin is that I will never have amazing looking skin. I will never have a pore-less looking complexion no matter what I use. It's just how my body was made. People are different from each other and what may work for my best friend may not work for me. For example, my cousin has amazing skin. No matter what she uses on her face, nothing breaks her out. Yet, for me, I have to be much more careful with what I use on my face. My goal from the very beginning, was to find a regimen that suits my skin and keeps my break outs at bay. I want to share some skincare advice that has truly helped me in my battle to get rid of this acne once and for all.
1. Cleanse
Find a good cleanser. You want to make sure that the cleanser you use
really cleans your skin and gets rid of make-up, oil, dirt, etc. If your cleanser leaves your skin feeling tight and dry, it is probably not suited for your skin. In my experience, this probably means the cleanser is too drying--even for my oily skin. If my skin feels dry, it will try to combat this dryness by producing more oil--hence, having oilier skin.
My favorite cleansers are from Origins. One is called Checks and Balances. It removes all the make-up from my face, but I find that I have to use it twice in order for it to do so. It does not really remove waterproof eye makeup, so I would have to use an oil based make-up remover (jojoba oil) after or before cleansing.
The cleanser I am currently using is also made by Origins and it is called Zero Oil Deep Pore Cleanser. It removes all dirt, oil, and makeup from my skin. I do not find myself needing to cleanse twice to get rid of all the makeup. It does not, however, remove waterproof eye make up so I would also have to use a separate eye makeup remover.
2. Tone
Toning has been a necessary part of my skincare regimen. For the longest time I thought it didn't make a difference if I toned my skin or not, BUT toning really does help. In order to treat the acne I have and to prevent any future breakouts, I use a mixture of 1 part tea tree oil and 9 parts witch hazel. It's amazing at removing any debris left by my cleanser as well as removing dead skin cells. I used to tone my face twice a day, however I found that doing so is too drying. So I currently tone at night. There are several toners in the market, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with making your own to suite the needs of your skin. For example, if you want to combat dryness, you might want to make a toner with green tea or chamomile. There are so many websites with do-it-yourself recipes for toners. You not only save money, but you also will help your skin by staying away from those extra ingredients your skin does not really need (for example, dyes, fragrances, alcohols). It just takes a little bit of research to find the right ingredients for you.
3. Moisturize
Pick a moisturizer that is compatible with your skin type. Keep in mind that what works for others may not work for you. Research the product BEFORE you try it. Pay attention to ingredients that are known to clog pores. I always use Zero Zits (click
here) and makeupalley.com as part of my research.
I currently use Origins Make a Difference Skin Rejuvenating Treatment. It is the only moisturizer that provides the right amount of moisture for my skin. It also does not break me out. If you want a more in depth review click
here. Also, don't be afraid to ask for samples! That way, you can try out the product for at least a week.
4. Treatments
**Masks
A couple of times a week (sometimes 3 when time permits), I use the Mario Badescu Drying Mask. It is amazing at healing pimples without drying the skin. Masks remove the impurities cleansers and toners do not remove on a daily basis.
**AHA
I am currently using Dan Kern's AHA+ to help reduce the appearance of post acne hyperpigmentation and to help improve the overall surface texture of my skin. I find that this product really helps to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation when the pimple is still healing. It still takes much longer for hyperpigmentation to go away if the pimple has already healed. I love this product because it really makes my skin feel soft and it helped get rid of these tiny bumps on my chin. I will review this product in the near future.
5. Ingredients
Unfortunately, the FDA does not approve a product's ingredients. Click
here for more information. The FDA pulls cosmetics off the market if they are found to be unsafe. So, this means that we have to pay attention to a product's ingredients. Ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance. Let's take, for example, Dan Kern's AHA+. The ingredients are listed on his website and is as follows:
Water, Glycolic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Cetyl
Palmitate, Sorbitan Stearate, Glycerin, Cyclomethicone, Glyceryl
Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Licochalcone (
Glycyrrhiza glabra
(Licorice) Root Extract), Tocopheryl Acetate, Squalane, PEG-12 Glyceryl
Distearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Xanthan Gum,
Sorbic Acid, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol
Here you can see that water is the first ingredient. This means that this product is predominantly water. The next ingredient is glycolic acid. This means that the next predominant ingredient is glycolic acid and so forth. When it comes to skincare ingredients I have a new motto, the less ingredients, the better. Honestly, if I look at a product and the ingredient list is lengthy, it discourages me from using it on my face. It makes me ask myself, do I really need ALL of that on my skin? Probably not.
6. Do not try more than one product at the same time.
I know how hard this could be!!! Sometimes I come home from Sephora with 3 different samples that I want to try at the same time! Don't do this! Do not try more than one new skincare product on your face. This is important because it pinpoints what product could possibly be breaking you out. For example, if you bought a moisturizer and a sunscreen, don't try them together. Instead, try the moisturizer first and use it for at least 1 week before you try something else. If after a week you don't notice a breakout, then continue and try on the sunscreen (or vice versa).
7. Sunscreen
Sunscreen is important in preventing wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation. I notice that post acne hyperpigmentation takes longer to go away if I don't wear sunscreen. It can be really hard to find sunscreen that is right for you. So, don't be afraid to ask for samples (if possible). Drugstores also have a good return policy so if a particular sunscreen breaks you out or if you just don't like it, it's always possible to return it and try something different.
8. Makeup Remover
If you wear makeup it's important to make sure to remove all of it before going to bed. I currently am using my own concoction of 2 parts jojoba oil and 8 parts witch hazel. It's amazing at removing all waterproof makeup without drying my skin.
I hope this helps anyone who has oily, acne prone skin. It really helped me. Keep in mind that it takes awhile to see improvements on your face. So, stick with a product for at least 2 weeks before you move on to the next (unless of course, you have a bad reaction to the product or it breaks you out). Please leave any comments below and I will try my best to answer your questions.
